Focuse stood shaking in his armor. He felt his knees clinking against the metal shin guards he wore.

“Well, come on then!” Draxis demanded.

Focuse didn’t know what to do. Surrounded by orcs Focuse knew his was seconds away from death. He grabbed the amulet and forced Eagon to take over.

Eagon didn’t hesitate. With a quick flap of his wings he was well above the orcs spraying fire down on them. Draxis just sat on his throne laughing. He signaled for more guards to come in. He was clearly prepared. Orcs arrived and shot metal nets across the top of Eagon quickly pinning him back down to the ground. He tried his best to break free, but these restraints were built for dragons. He blew fire with all his might, but the restraints wouldn’t budge.

Focuse felt Eagon wearing thin, almost as if he had tried to exhale more air than he had. The two began to grow faint. Their vision began to blur and just before passing out Focuse heard a new voice inside his head. This could not be Eagon. Eagon's voice was deep and intellectually sounding. This voice was soft and relaxed.

“Let it out, sweetie. Look deep inside you for the power you know lies within. Do not let rage fool you. Allow yourself to be filled with the spirit of freedom. Imagine yourself in flight with the wind under your wings.”

Focuse felt Eagon stop blowing. There was a calm sensation growing in the pit of their stomach as the two caught their breath.

“Ha, and with that falls the last free dragon of Middle Earth,” Draxis remarked walking up and putting a boot on Eagon's head.

Eagon took a deep breath and allowed himself to be filled with the spirit of freedom. He felt the cool refreshing feeling grow from his stomach and fill his entire body. It wasn't hot as the anger that fueled his fire was. This was a cool calming sensation he had never felt before. As he opened his mouth it was as easy as simply opening his jaws. As Eagon did so the throne room erupted with blue flame. The restraints began to melt under the intense heat and Draxis fell back astonished!

“This is not possible! The line of the guardian dragon was ended! I destroyed them all!”

Focuse realized what the voice must have been. That had to be Eagon's mother, and she must have been something quite special…

Eagon thought to Focuse, “I never knew… my mother used to tell me stories of an ancient dragon family that stood to protect freedom and possessed great power. I suppose she never had the opportunity to tell me that was who we are.”

“Eagon this is incredible,” Focuse thought. "I can’t believe we're actually doing this!" They lifted off into the air once more and looked down at Draxis.

Though temporarily shocked he had regained his composure and stood back up.

“You think you are the only one who possesses the power of a dragon?” Draxis said. He stood for a moment and winced loudly as two black wings emerged from his back twice the size of Eagons wings. HE lifted off the ground until they were at eye level.

“I have been absorbing the ability of dragons for ages! I am over five hundred years old! I absorbed your parents and I will absorb you too!” declared Draxis.

Draxis opened his mouth and an enormous whirlwind of fire spouted out at them. Eagon met the king's red ring of fire with his own blue fire and the two clashed in the center of the room. The entire room blazed in a whirlwind of fire yet the primary bout lay at the center of the room with the two streams clashing. Focuse felt Eagon's resolve began to fade. He was growing weaker. He began to forget the freedom of flight and passion he held for protecting that freedom. He began to forget the words of his mother and Draxis’s flames grew closer.

Focuse panicked and began to use his own will. Focuse remembered what it was like to finally see the sun, to emerge from the dreary mines of Moria. He knew that freedom was a sacred thing and he had a passion for protecting the freedom of Middle Earth.

The blue fire intensified and began to overtake the red. As Focuse reveled in the joy he felt when he first took off on the back of Eagon, Eagon joined him. The pair were united in their passion for freedom and with one more mighty blow the battle was over.

King Draxis the dragon lay charred on the ground unable to move.

There was a long moment of silence until Eagon flew up and out the massive doorway. The two made haste to leave Mordor. He thought this wise considering they had just walked into a throne room and killed a king right in the middle of his castle. There were bound to be many who would take issue with them. But the deed had been done. The empire of the former dragon slayer would crumble and hopefully the dragons would be free again. As they flew home Eagon wondered if perhaps one day he might have children of his own. Maybe then he and Focuse might teach them the value of freedom as well.

For this journey had changed them. From that day forth Eagon and Focuse were the sole defenders of all creatures in Middle Earth. They stood for justice and fought all who might seek to infringe upon the freedom of the creatures of Middle Earth.

Author's Note:

This final chapter utlized several themes from Tolkien. Tolkien was fold of the infulence of freedom and familial love. Thiease served as heacy infulences in my rendition. Tolkien painted dragons as one of the top creatures in Middle Earth (as far as strength). I wanted to establish our heroes as the cream of the crop in a dragon on dragon battle that is never seen in Tolkien's stories.

I knew going in that the familial aspect would play a major part in this final chapter. However, I also wanted to allow Focuse to play a pivital role as well. Eagon is still so young so it didnt make sense for him to simply come in and save the day, despite his special calling. Therfeoe, Focuse, the underdog, became the major hero in this sotry. The idea of the underdog becomming the most important character is a theme seen time and time again in Tolkien's writing. His words inspired me to do the same.